Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 34

Devanagari script

सेतुबंधं तथासाद्य प्रस्थितः स्वगृहं प्रति । तावद्विभीषणेनोक्तः प्रणिपत्य मुहुर्मुहुः

Transliteration

setubaṃdhaṃ tathāsādya prasthitaḥ svagṛhaṃ prati | tāvadvibhīṣaṇenoktaḥ praṇipatya muhurmuhuḥ

Translation

Ainsi parvenu à Setubandha, il se mit en route vers sa demeure. Alors Vibhīṣaṇa prit la parole, se prosternant encore et encore.

Word by Word

• सेतुबन्धम्: the bridge (causeway)
• सेतुबन्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेतु (प्रातिपदिक) + बन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष—‘सेतोः बन्धः’ (the bridge-construction/bridge)

• तथा: thus, in that manner
• तथा: Sambandha (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• आसाद्य: having reached/approached
• आसाद्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ√सद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• प्रस्थितः: departed
• प्रस्थितः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र√स्था (धातु)
• Form: भूतकाले क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle/क्त); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• स्वगृहम्: to his own home
• स्वगृहम्: Gati-Karma (Goal/Object of motion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय—‘स्वं गृहं’ (one’s own home)

• प्रति: towards
• प्रति: Sambandha (Direction/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (directional)

• तावत्: meanwhile, just then
• तावत्: Sambandha (Temporal/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle) तावदर्थे ‘meanwhile/just then’

• विभीषणेन: by Vibhīṣaṇa
• विभीषणेन: Kartr-karana (Agent in passive/कर्तृ-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभीषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• उक्तः: was spoken to, was addressed
• उक्तः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकाले क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त) ‘said/addressed’; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगः

• प्रणिपत्य: having bowed down, prostrating
• प्रणिपत्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + नि√पत् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• मुहुः: again and again
• मुहुः: Sambandha (Frequency/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुहुः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) पुनःपुनरर्थे

• मुहुः: repeatedly
• मुहुः: Sambandha (Frequency/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुहुः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) पुनःपुनरर्थे (reduplication for emphasis)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Tirtha: Setubandha

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Rāma turns to depart from Setubandha; Vibhīṣaṇa falls repeatedly at his feet, hands folded, speaking earnestly; the sea and Setu behind, vānaras watching quietly.

Characters & Entities

• Setubandha
• Vibhīṣaṇa
• Śrī Rāma

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Reverence and gratitude are dharmic; repeated praṇāma signifies humility before divine purpose and sacred places.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Setubandha, the sacred bridge-region linked with Rāmeśvara worship.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

No formal rite; devotional practice is indicated through repeated prostration (praṇāma).